The present invention relates to a technique of converting a kind of e-money into another kind of e-money.
There are currently a plurality of e-money service companies. Conventionally, use of e-money at a store is possible only in an e-money service company that has a contract with each store. For smooth shopping at all stores, contracts with a plurality of e-money service companies and holding of a plurality of cards are necessary. Hence, a technique of converting the type of e-money between a plurality of e-money service companies would be advantageous.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-334285 (reference 1) describes an example of e-money conversion technique. This prior art comprises a store information storage unit and an e-money conversion/sending unit. The store information storage unit stores a store information database including information of a store-designated money type that is designated by a store as the type of money acceptable by the store, and information of a store-designated money sending destination that is designated by the store as the money sending destination. The e-money conversion/sending unit converts e-money received from a store user into e-money corresponding to the store-designated money type in accordance with the store-designated money type information and sends the converted e-money to the store-designated money sending destination in accordance with the store-designated money sending destination information. Hence, the user can use the e-money for settlement at any virtual and real stores without being conscious of the type of e-money in possession.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-24723 (reference 2) describes another example of e-money conversion technique. This prior art comprises a user terminal to be used by a user U to use a plurality of kinds of prepaid-type e-money, and a prepaid-type e-money conversion server connected to the user terminal through the Internet. The prepaid-type e-money conversion server comprises a conversion unit that converts one of the plurality of kinds of prepaid-type e-money into another kind of prepaid-type e-money. With this arrangement, circulation routes can be integrated.
However, the conventional techniques require a centralized administration apparatus such as an e-money conversion server in order to convert e-money. For this reason, it is continuously necessary to install, maintain, and operate a server, resulting in cumbersomeness.
In addition, when e-money conversion is executed on the centralized administration apparatus side upon settlement, the payment processing cannot be executed if a terminal such as a cellular phone exists outside the radio wave reachable zone. In addition, every time the user purchases merchandise, the terminal needs to access the network. Hence, the settlement is time-consuming.